


Infinitely Better

by midnight_bird



Category: Hornblower (TV)
Genre: Anal Sex, Light Bondage, M/M, Rimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-28
Updated: 2014-03-28
Packaged: 2018-01-17 07:24:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1378918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnight_bird/pseuds/midnight_bird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Horatio has a dream; Archie decides to do something about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Infinitely Better

_“Archie?”_

_The night was very dark, but the glow of the stern lantern cast a shimmering trail of light on the inky water below._

_“Yes, Horatio?"_

_“I… I had a most vivid dream…”  
_

_“Oh?”  
_

_Horatio’s face flushed. He could feel warmth spreading to other parts of him as well. They were alone, on this part of the deck, but even so… Best to just drop the matter, before anyone overheard. He forced himself to take hold of the ship’s rail before he did something foolish. Yet for some mad reason, he couldn’t hold his tongue.  
_

_“I was spread and bound, hand and foot, to th’ – to the lower shrouds.”  
_

_Archie’s mouth quirked the faintest bit. “Was it a good dream?”  
_

_Horatio’s hand tightened on the rail. “Oh yes…”_  


 

Lieutenant Horatio Hornblower clenched his jaw in a determined effort to keep quiet. But the touch of warm, dexterous fingers after so long at sea was difficult to ignore. They smoothed up the insides of his bare thighs only to halt just at the maddeningly spread juncture of his legs and crotch. Horatio exhaled a short, thick breath.

“Easy, Horatio,” Archie soothed.

He was kneeling on the creaking chamber floor behind Horatio, down between his feet. Horatio could sense him there, though Archie’s fingers now lifted to float just above Horatio’s skin in another capricious interval. Horatio could do nothing to coax Archie closer. Indeed, he could hardly move. His arms were raised and outstretched, wrists bound high to the old wood bed posts. His feet, too, were wide apart on the floor and secured in Archie’s wickedly effective knots.

When Archie had insisted they turn in for the night, Horatio had been taken aback. That Archie would want to leave the bright revelries in the tavern below, even for such a room as they had sprung for was surprising. Now that Horatio knew why, however, he was glad of it, though it was difficult to shake the vigilance that dogged him wherever they were.

“There’s a lock on the door,” Archie replied to Horatio’s unspoken worry. “The good men below are drunk as lords and… I can cut you loose at any time.”

At Archie’s reminder, Horatio allowed himself to relax slightly. In return, Archie’s hands resumed their wandering path, traveling round to the front of Horatio, only to carefully skirt the clear evidence of Horatio’s desire, in favour of stroking the crease of his hips. Horatio tried to lean into the feather touch, seeking more contact, but Archie stood off again. So Horatio waited, motionless, as if for a broadside.

“What is your wish, my love?” asked Archie.

“Anything,” Horatio replied. “Just belay your bloody _teasing_.”

Archie laughed. It was a glad sound. Horatio hadn’t heard it in too long. It was worth the aching suspense, just to hear it. But still Horatio needed… He reluctantly swallowed down a moan, wishing he could give voice to his want without fear of the raucous crowd below. But Archie did not have to hear his need to know it. His hands slowly settled on Horatio’s backside and his touch grew more intent.

In another moment, he was gently, yet irresistibly, parting Horatio’s pale buttocks. Archie’s hot breath blew across the puckered, clenching hole, concealed there. Horatio trembled all up and down his spine. He couldn’t help it. His muscles refused to obey his best attempts to subdue them. When he felt the first, warm – oh lord, _wet_ – flick of Archie’s tongue, Horatio’s last resolve to hold his own tongue frayed to tatters. He groaned, low and long, a sound ripped from deep inside himself. He hadn’t known he had it in him, that sound, but there it was. And Archie was responding to it, his tongue caressing the length of Horatio’s depths.

Horatio’s hands clenched tight enough to make his bindings dig at his wrists, but he didn’t notice. Archie was licking deeper now, his tongue pushing into Horatio, at once demanding and begging to be let in. Horatio could deny him nothing, not even if he had wanted, and damn him but he did not! He had thought himself stretched wide as he could go, but he found himself parting farther, to give Archie more leeway to maneuver.

Archie’s tongue ventured deeper still; thrusting into Horatio’s tightness, loosening the clenched muscles there. Then he withdrew entirely and Horatio held his breath against the feeling of loss. But the tongue was replaced by a long, slick finger and Horatio released his breath in a rush, as Archie deftly found the point within him that caused a white heat of pleasure. Horatio pushed back into Archie what short distance he could manage and, to his relief, Archie redoubled his exertions. Adding another finger, then another, he moved stronger and faster within Horatio, until Horatio squeezed his eyes shut and tensed in every limb. He was so near to release, he could almost taste it, like rain on the wind.

“Archie,” he gasped. “Need you.”

Archie’s tongue withdrew. His hands ran up Horatio’s sweat-slick sides to clasp about Horatio’s chest and he pressed his full body against Horatio’s backside.

“Take me, please,” Horatio whispered, straining his neck about to catch a glimpse of his lover.

Archie’s head tilted up and their mouths met in a hungry kiss. As they did, Horatio felt Archie nudging him, warm and insistent. Horatio gasped into Archie’s mouth and Archie pushed into him, not halting until he was fully sheathed. By then, Horatio knew he couldn’t hold back the oncoming storm. It had been too long arriving and he was so ready. Archie knew it as well. He drew away a bit and pressed back inside in a swift, relentless thrust that rocked Horatio’s knees against the footboard of the bed. Horatio clenched about Archie and Archie’s breath caught for the first time, in a little half-sob, but he pulled back again and thrust once more, harder, this time, so Horatio’s heels were forced off the floor. Horatio’s cock was weeping with readiness.

“ _Archie_ ,” he groaned.

This time, Archie’s thrust forced Horatio’s toes nearly off the floor. Horatio scrabbled for purchase, but his bindings held and he shook, suspended there.

“Come with me, my dear one.” Archie whispered, and wrapped his hand about Horatio’s hardness, stroking with a pull like the tide.

Horatio’s release crested over him just as he felt Archie’s warm deluge pulse deep within. When it subsided, Archie slumped into him, clinging to Horatio’s sagging body as if he were adrift at sea and Horatio was a floating spar. Horatio could feel Archie’s heartbeat gradually slowing against his back.

“Will you untie me now?” Horatio asked. “I want to hold you.”

Archie drew away and set to work on the bindings. Soon, Horatio was able to lower his arms, feeling the good burn of shoulders and forearms, wrists and fingers, released from tension. Then Archie freed his ankles and Horatio could move them at his own will again. But he did not go far, only stepped together and turned to Archie.

“Horatio?”

“Yes, Archie?”

“Was that anything like your dream?”

Horatio’s thoughts flew back to that middle watch, long months ago, when he had spoken so unrestrainedly. Archie had remembered it all this time. Horatio reached out, drew Archie into his arms, and sighed in happy wonder.

“It was infinitely better.”

Archie looked up and smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> Unbetaed. Civil feedback is appreciated. // Not mine. Please don’t sue.


End file.
